Before The Green Moon
- March 7, 2023
- Turnfollow
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Before The Green Moon" is a serene science fiction farming/life simulation game where players create their own character and adapt to a small community's Wet and Dry seasons. The game features a 24-hour day/night cycle, real-time weather, and various activities such as farming, getting to know neighbors, and exploring the community. Relaxing gameplay and character customization make this a unique addition to the farming simulation genre.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautifully written characters and a strong sense of community, making players feel deeply connected to the town and its residents.
- Its unique narrative structure, which revolves around a defined goal of leaving for the moon, adds a bittersweet and reflective quality to the gameplay, enhancing emotional engagement.
- The low-poly art style and atmospheric sound design create a charming and immersive experience that evokes nostalgia for classic gaming aesthetics.
- The game lacks polish and can feel aimless at times, with some players finding the narrative direction unclear and the gameplay mechanics overly simplistic.
- Short days and limited stamina can lead to frustration, as players may feel rushed and unable to fully explore or engage with the characters.
- The absence of a tutorial or map can make navigation confusing, and the presence of many non-interactable NPCs can detract from the sense of a vibrant community.
- grinding114 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of "Before the Green Moon" is characterized by its relaxed and simplified farming mechanics, which some players find engaging and comfortable, while others note that it can become tedious as the game progresses. Unlike typical farming sims that often focus on endless tasks and upgrades, this game offers a finite narrative that allows players to enjoy a more immersive experience without the pressure of constant grinding. Overall, it strikes a balance between farming and exploration, though some players feel that the time spent on farming can overshadow other activities.
“The game begins to get very grindy time-wise, because when you have a lot of plants or chickens, you may end up spending the entire morning or morning/afternoon taking care of them, and then there's little time left to explore or gather the animals' food.”
“That coupled with the low movement speed leaves me feeling like the days are both too short to do exhaustive searches of the city, but also way too long for the farming part of the game.”
“Sometime at the end of the 2nd cycle I had more money than I knew what to do with and stopped farming.”
- gameplay60 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and low-stress mechanics, allowing players to engage in a hypnotic, exploratory experience without the pressure of complex systems. While it may feel mechanically light compared to other farming sims, this minimalism enhances the charm and encourages meaningful interactions with the game's world and characters. The gameplay loop is satisfying and reflective of the narrative, providing a unique blend of farming and community engagement that resonates with players seeking a nostalgic and contemplative experience.
“The gameplay loop is satisfying, with rainy and dry seasons adding unique challenges to your typical daily routine.”
“There is an air of mystery and rewarding texture to the game as it has no tutorials and simply makes you figure out all the mechanics and explore the world on your own. Everything is simple to grasp once you run into it, but the lack of direct guidance creates so many little moments of discovery that sear the important things into your mind.”
“Stripped down, minimalist gameplay that gives you small glimpses into a world that feels much bigger and deeper than you could hope to know.”
“My one criticism is that while most of the little mechanical inconveniences enhanced the mood, the control scheme made my hand hurt quite badly after a while - perhaps that's on me for doing such long play sessions.”
“Maybe a tad mechanically light, not as robust as Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley.”
“The gameplay is more stripped back compared to other 'cosy-type' games, but for me that adds to the appeal.”
- graphics46 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming low-poly aesthetic, evoking nostalgia for late PS1 and early GameCube titles. Players appreciate the unique art style that combines handcrafted elements with a quirky, almost toy-like quality, creating a visually captivating and immersive experience. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere, enhancing its appeal as a cozy and engaging farming sim.
“The world you live your new life in seems like a place I would never leave if it existed in real life... and the game is absolutely beautiful. It's basically how I want all games with 3D graphics to look, combining low-poly abstraction with a handcrafted tactile edge that almost makes the world look like models or clay or plastic toys.”
“I'm a sucker for alien landscapes, and combined with the unique art style, it makes for some really gorgeous scenes.”
“It's a minimal but enjoyable farming sim, set in a gentle dystopia rendered in a lovely low-poly art style reminiscent of fifth-generation console games, and featuring some interesting but understated worldbuilding and some spectacular character writing.”
“Literally the only thing going for it is the aesthetic.”
“The first thing you'll notice is the graphical style.”
“Before the Green Moon is a sci-fi farming sim that hearkens back to late PS1-era graphics and feels like what a farming sim during that time would have been.”
- story40 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in "Before the Green Moon" is characterized by its subtlety and slow reveal, primarily conveyed through character interactions and dialogue rather than traditional cutscenes. While some players appreciate the personal and unique narratives of the characters, others find the overall plot lacking in depth and engagement, leading to mixed feelings about its storytelling richness. The game offers a cozy, open-world experience that encourages exploration, but its minimalistic approach may not satisfy those seeking a more structured or compelling narrative.
“Before the Green Moon is an excellent game for anyone interested in games as a form of storytelling.”
“It's refreshing to see a game so loose on the guided experience, allowing you to figure out the world for yourself, which also aptly suits the plot and major theme of the game.”
“I came for a really good story, and I got one.”
“How is it labeled as story rich, when there's actually no story at all?”
“And then you are left to wander in the city to try and find bits and pieces of story.”
“There are some story events for each of these people, but it isn't always clear what triggers them outside of just showing up near or at their home at the right moment.”
- music22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers note that the soundtrack, while limited in tracks, perfectly complements the quirky art style and evokes a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic games. The combination of beautiful music and ambient sounds contributes significantly to the game's charm and immersive world-building.
“The soundtrack is sublimely calm, and most of all the world/setting is incredibly intriguing to me.”
“A beautiful soundtrack, great ambiance and world-building, now paired with mechanics that allow you to savor the experience.”
“The gorgeous low-poly aesthetic and simple atmospheric music is worth the price itself.”
“Idk, the music is fine, and the graphics are charming.”
“The gorgeous low-poly aesthetic and simple atmospheric music is worth the price, itself.”
“It's not just the graphics that evoke an old-timey feel either, the ambient sounds, the nonintrusive music, and even the menu sounds pull you right back in time to the earlier Harvest Moon games.”
- emotional16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Before the Green Moon" is characterized by its ability to evoke unexpected feelings through a finite narrative and deep character connections, contrasting with typical farming sims. Players describe the experience as both melancholic and wholesome, highlighting the heart-wrenching impact of leaving the community they formed within the game. This "post-cozy" approach effectively utilizes familiar emotional themes while introducing deconstructive elements that enhance the overall emotional journey.
“I was caught off-guard by the emotional connection I formed with this community and its people; I wished I didn't have to leave.”
“Amazing game, made me feel so many things that I didn't expect from a farming sim.”
“Honestly, connecting to the characters and being part of this little world was a wonderful experience - and the slow exit as Venus plays in the background was heart-wrenching as I reflected on the home I'd made for myself in Before the Green Moon.”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its successful delivery of a captivating setting, charming characters, and a perfect blend of aesthetics and music. The low-poly art style and immersive interactions contribute significantly to the overall experience, making it a standout feature that keeps players engaged. While some players noted that the atmosphere was the only aspect they enjoyed, it remains a strong point that enhances the game's appeal.
“Great setting, atmosphere, and characters.”
“The atmosphere was perfect... the interactions, perfect.”
“The gorgeous low-poly aesthetic and simple atmospheric music is worth the price, itself.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a desire for a return to less optimized, more relaxed gameplay in "cozy games," contrasting them with the highly efficient and formulaic approaches of AAA titles. Players appreciate the variety and experimentation that these indie games offer, which often prioritize a slower, more enjoyable experience over the relentless pursuit of efficiency and min-maxing.
“Cozy games, like most successful indie game trends, essentially aim to fill a void left by AAA development once a million agreed-upon and commercially accepted best practices callously optimized a lot of variety and experimentation out of mainstream games.”
“Before min-maxing and crafting literally everything yourself down to your left shoe and extracting every single second out of each day for optimized efficiency - those things are fine for those who like them, but I miss when farming sims actually felt slow-paced, a little bit directionless, and actually relaxing.”
- stability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability with excellent performance, running smoothly at high frame rates and quick load times. However, some users have reported bugs in the final levels, particularly related to the watering mechanics.
“The game runs great; I have a mid-range GPU, and it runs at my monitor's native 2K 165fps with no frame drops. It also loads very quickly.”
“In general, only the watering can feels like it actually improves, and the final levels are very buggy in what they water.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development in the game, highlighting it as a standout feature that complements the satisfying farming mechanics and immersive atmosphere. The depth and growth of characters enhance the overall experience, making it a memorable aspect of the gameplay.
“Such a great mix of satisfying farming mechanics that aren't overdone, along with fantastic atmosphere and character development.”
